AAC Preview on Grantland

[Penfield]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id...-smith-louisville-win-back-back-championships

I thought this was a pretty good preview of the league. I'm expecting pretty heated competition between Louisville, Memphis and UConn for the regular season title. The round robin schedule should make the race even more exciting.

The author lists UConn as his most underrated team in the country and I think he still has us a bit underrated. No mention of DD which is crazy!

 

[OkaForPrez]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id...-smith-louisville-win-back-back-championships

I thought this was a pretty good preview of the league. I'm expecting pretty heated competition between Louisville, Memphis and UConn for the regular season title. The round robin schedule should make the race even more exciting.

The author lists UConn as his most underrated team in the country and I think he still has us a bit underrated. No mention of DD which is crazy!

Instant credibility lost when he said Rutgers was one of the two better teams in the league. Rutgers is picked dead last in this league.

 

[Penfield]

Instant credibility lost when he said Rutgers was one of the two better teams in the league. Rutgers is picked dead last in this league.

Where did he say that?

I see this quote: "Although, now that I think about it, AA could be appropriate since UConn and Cincinnati fans might start drinking heavily when they realize that after Louisville and Rutgers leave for the ACC and Big Ten, respectively, next year, the AA could arguably be called a mid-major conference." Sadly, I have to agree with this 100%. After this year we are in a mid-major conference like it or not. It has nothing to do with how good Rutgers is at bball. It's simply about the leagues perception.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Where did he say that?

I see this quote: "Although, now that I think about it, AA could be appropriate since UConn and Cincinnati fans might start drinking heavily when they realize that after Louisville and Rutgers leave for the ACC and Big Ten, respectively, next year, the AA could arguably be called a mid-major conference." Sadly, I have to agree with this 100%. After this year we are in a mid-major conference like it or not. It has nothing to do with how good Rutgers is at bball. It's simply about the leagues perception.

But with two of the bigger programs leaving after this season, zero historical context, and a terrible, generic name, it's difficult for a neutral fan like me to get excited about the Battery.

Maybe I read too much into that. But its a basketball focused article. Rutgers Basketball is nothing to regret losing. Zero historical context is a stretch as well.

 

[aceboon]

the author of this preview is also the author of this tweet. obviously said in jest but still him regardless

Mark Titus
@clubtrillion
Thanks to Crean-Meyer tiff, I can't help but wonder if Kevin Ollie yells, "You helped wreck our program!" into his mirror when UConn wins.

 

[Penfield]

the author of this preview is also the author of this tweet. obviously said in jest but still him regardless

Mark Titus
@clubtrillion
Thanks to Crean-Meyer tiff, I can't help but wonder if Kevin Ollie yells, "You helped wreck our program!" into his mirror when UConn wins.

Ya I guess he doesn't realize that Ollie wasn't on the staff at that time, or just didnt care when he thought of his "joke"

 

[OkaForPrez]

the author of this preview is also the author of this tweet. obviously said in jest but still him regardless

Mark Titus
@clubtrillion
Thanks to Crean-Meyer tiff, I can't help but wonder if Kevin Ollie yells, "You helped wreck our program!" into his mirror when UConn wins.

I understand none of this tweet. What was the tiff? If Ollie is yelling into the mirror, doesn't that imply he is talking to himself? And if so, why would he talk about wrecking a program after a win?

Edit: I looked it up, now I remember, its still stupid.

 

[tcf15]

I understand none of this tweet. What was the tiff? If Ollie is yelling into the mirror, doesn't that imply he is talking to himself? And if so, why would he talk about wrecking a program after a win?

Here's the tiff: http://www.umhoops.com/2013/03/11/tom-crean-to-jeff-meyer-you-wrecked-our-program/

 

[Penfield]

I understand none of this tweet. What was the tiff? If Ollie is yelling into the mirror, doesn't that imply he is talking to himself? And if so, why would he talk about wrecking a program after a win?

The tiff being referenced was when Crean flipped out on the Michigan assistant coach Meyer after the IU - Mich game, because Meyer was on the Indiana staff under Sampson when all the violations occurred.

The joke being that Ollie caused violations at UConn I guess?? It really doesn't make much sense

 

[ctchamps]

Where did he say that?

I see this quote: "Although, now that I think about it, AA could be appropriate since UConn and Cincinnati fans might start drinking heavily when they realize that after Louisville and Rutgers leave for the ACC and Big Ten, respectively, next year, the AA could arguably be called a mid-major conference." Sadly, I have to agree with this 100%. After this year we are in a mid-major conference like it or not. It has nothing to do with how good Rutgers is at bball. It's simply about the leagues perception.

And perception turns around quickly depending on performance. Getting back to back NC's in 1984 with GT and 1985 with Nova was the beginning of the BE as a basket ball power. It could have ended there but the conference instead built upon it with great coaches and continued success even

On the women's side it was the SEC hugely dominant, with the B!G and the ACC a distant second and third. And then an incredible coach took the UConn program and made it into a dominant force. For quite some time it was only UConn until Stringer took over the Rutgers program. But over time the BE became the premier conference in women's bb by a huge margin!

Point is perception is fickle. Performance is what counts. My only hope is that the perception proves accurate only after UConn is invited into another conference. But until that time I'm hoping the perception will be shown to be inaccurate.

 

[61cygni]

Nice writeup on Shabazz as most underrated player as well.

 

[hooskies]

should no one ever write anything about UConn then?

This is one of the better AAC write-ups i've seen but we're talking about one of the guys tweets?

 

[Kitaman]

I may be alone but I'm okay with Bazz getting all the love and DD being ignored. Bazz earns all the praise he gets. DD has a full season to earn similar praise, which I hope motivates him even the more. He's our secret weapon.

 

[kansashusky]

Mark Titus is hilarious and his write up was the best league/UConn preview I have read. That gif of Peyton Sivas father made me almost fall out of my chair laughing. He knows this team is dangerous and he respects Shabazz. A+